Vending machine



Sept. 21, 1937. s. J. L. BOON 2,093,410

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1-935 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 15 $291. 15 ll INVEN R Sept. 21, 1937.

VENDING MACHINE Filed Ju ly 10, 1935 S. J. L. BOON 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 .o-or- INVENTOR I Sept. 21, 1937. 5 J BOON 2,093,410

' VEND'ING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 21, 1937. s. J. BOON 2,093,410

VENDING MACHINE FiledJuly 10, 1935 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Sept. 21, 1937. s. J. L. BOON I 2,093,410

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 5' INVENTOR fwzfigf Sept. 21, 1937. 5, J BOQN 2,093,410

' I VENDING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet e INVENTQR 'Sept. 21, 1937. s. J. 1.. BOON VENDING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Sept. 21, 1937 VENDING MACHINE Sydney John Lewis Boon, Boscornbe, England, assignor to Boons Patents Limited, Boscombe,

England, a British company Application July 10, 1935, Serial No. 30,664 In Great Britain November 14, 1934 5 Claims. (Cl. 312-36) This invention relates to vending machines for ice cream which is easily and deleteriously affected by an increase of temperature above the freezing point. Such an increase in temperature 5 may be brought about by .the admission of ex terior air into the casing of the machine each time a package is delivered and this presents difficulties which are not met with in machines for vending bottled beverages or other commodil ties which have only to be kept cool and not at a temperature below freezing point.

The invention is concerned with vending machines of the type. comprising a magazine in which the packages of ice cream are stacked one 18- upon another. These machines are of two classes. In one class the packages are discharged from the top of the magazine through a discharge opening in the upper part of the casing, and in the other class they are discharged from the,

' bottom of the magazine through an opening situated in the lower part of the casing. None of these known machines has hitherto proved satisfactory because in all of them the package to be delivered next is situated in thevicinity'of the I discharge opening and is deleteriously affected by the warm exterior air admitted at the last operation of the machine and parts of the operating mechanism near the discharge opening are liable to become frozen, together owing to the N admission into the casing of the exterior-air.

The object 'of this invention is to provide means whereby these known difiiculties are overcome.*'

With this object in view the invention provides 86 an elevator to which packages removed from the bottom of the magazine are delivered and by which they are transported to a discharge opening situated in the upper part of the casing at a higher level than the bottom of the magazine,

40 and operating means for the elevator. Thus, the ice cream in any of the packages in the upper part of the magazine which may have become softened owing to the admission of the warm exterior air has time to cool or harden before 45 reaching the bottom of the magazine whence it is removed for delivery. Further, as the bulk of the operating mechanism will be situated in the lower part of the casing. considerably below the 'discharge opening it will be less liable to be af- 80 fected by the admission of the warm exterior air.

We are aware that elevators have been proposed in vending machines for bottled beverages and various commodities other than ice cream, but no claim is made herein to anselelfi'vator in any machines other than vending ma-' chines for ice cream. The term ice cream as used herein includes as well as ice cream other frozen commodities of a similar character which are dependent on refrigeration to maintain their shape and size.

Machines according to the invention may also comprise a receptacle for spoons and means for delivering a spoon therefrom each time the machine is operated.

The invention also includes constructional features'which will be hereinafter described and specifically pointed out in the claims. 7

One form of a machine for vending ice cream in conical cup-shaped containers closed by means of push-in lids will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:--

Figure 1 is a front elevation with part'of the casing broken away to show the spoon receptacle and associated mechanism.

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is a front elevation, drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1, of the apparatus with the lid and a part of the casing removed;

Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation, drawn to a still larger scale, showing part of the rotatable receptacle-carrier, the elevator, and associated parts;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a detail showing the means for temporarily supporting the containers above the bottom container in a stack;

Figure his a sectional elevation on the line 'l'-'l of Figure 6; r

Figure 8 is a plan of the' parts shown in Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a plan of the mechanism for intermittently rotating the receptacle-carrier;

Figure 10 is a section on the line l0l0 of Figure 9; v

Figure 11 is a plan view showing the trip device for stopping the receptacle-carrier in the correct position; i

Figure 12 is a section on the line l2-l2 of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a side elevation with part of the casing broken away showing the means for returning coins to the operator when the apparatus is empty, and V Figure 14 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 13.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout.

The machine shown .on the drawings co prises a, stand l0 upon which is mounted a substantlally air-tight casing II. The walls'of the casing consist of-an outer layer 12 of armoured ply wood, or of any other suitable material, and an inner layer (or layers) i3 of insulation. In order to facilitate access to the interior of the casing the top and the upper part of the front wall thereof are formed as a removable L-shaped unit l4, see'Flgure 2, and a hinged lid I5 is provided which serves also to hold the unit l4 in position. Any convenient clamping devices may be. provided for the lid I5. The interior of the obsing may be kept at the required low temperature by any convenient means, for instance by providing a refrigerating unit in the stand l0 and/or one or more containers for a refrigerating medium in the casing ll. The cup-shaped .containers l8 fllledwith ice cream are stacked in a number of vertical tu-' I bular receptacles l'i arranged in a ring around an intermittently rotatable carrier which comprises a circular plate ill, in which the lower ends of the tubular receptacles are mounted and a central vertical spindle I! which carries near its upper end a disc provided with openings through which the tubular receptacles I! pass. The lower ends of said receptacles are open and communicate with openings 2i in the plate I8 which is disposed slightly'above a stationary table 22 on 'which the bottom container of the stack of containersin each receptacle I! will rest. The table 22 is provided with an opening 23, see

- Figure 5, so disposed that each of the receptacles IT in tum can be brought into register with said opening by rotating the receptacle-carrier. The spindle IQ of the receptacle-carrier is rotatably mounted in the table 22 and is rotated by the means hereinafter described. In the constr ction shown on the drawings there are sixteen eceptacles I! each to hold twenty cup-shaped containers i6 one above another in a stack, but it is to be understood that any other number of receptacles or receptacles for accommodating any other number of containers may be provided. The cup-shaped containers it are placed in the receptacles l1 inverted, as will be seen on referenceto Figures 5, 6 and 7 so that the lid of each container rests on the bottom edge of the con-' tainer below. Thus-that edge 24v of each conslot 25 is provided slightly below the level 'of the lower edge 24 of the second lowest container in each stack. Carried by a support 26, see Figures ,6. 7 and 8, on the table 22 adjacent to the opening 1 123 therein is a horizontal plate 21vwhich forms a ledge arranged to engagein turn each of the slots 25 in the tubular receptacles II as the receptacle-carrier is intermittently rotated. The plate 21 reaches into the interior of the tubular receptacle far enough for the lower edge 24 of the second lowest container in the .receptacle to rest upon it. Thus the containers above the bottom container in a receptacle will be temporarily supported by the plate 21 each time the receptacle-carrier stops' over the opening 23, and the bottom container will then be free to drop through the opening 23 in the table 22 on to a transferring device situated below the said v opening. In Figures 6, 7 and 8, it is assumed that the bottom container in the stack has dropped through said opening.

The transferring device is in the form of a tray or platform 23, see especially Figure 5, which is pivotally mounted at 29 between two side plates 30 and is arranged to be held in the horizontal position by means of a tension spring 3i.

Said tray 23 is so arranged that when it is tilted near the end of its downward movement, the

bottom thereof will engage the tray and cause it to tilt as shown in Figure5. The floor of the elevator receptacle is inclined to form an extension of the floor of the tray 23 when the latter is tilted to permit a container on the tray to slide freely into the said receptacle. The discharge outlet 33 is normally closed by a hinged flap 34 which is maintained in the closed position by a spring 35 and isprovided on its inner face with a projection 36 arranged to be engaged by the top of the elevator receptacle to open the flap. A recess 31 is provided in the insulation l3 of the casing to accommodate the projection 36 when the flap 34 is open. The bottom of the discharge outlet 33 is inclined similarly to the floor of the elevator receptacle 32. When said receptacle reaches the dischargeoutlet, the

' article in the receptacle is free to slide therefrom through the outlet opening of the receptacle into the discharge outlet 33.

The intermittently rotatable receptacle-carrier and the elevator are interconnected to operate in timed relation and are arranged to be actuatedfrom'a main shaft 38 to which is secured, outside the casing of the machine, an operating handle 39. Associated with said handle is a coinfreed locking-mechanism of any convenient construction for preventing operation of the handle 39 unless a coin (or coins) of the required'value has been inserted into the machine through a coin slot 40. The handle-locking mechanism will not be described herein and is not shown on the drawings as it forms no part "of the present invention but it is contained within an auxiliary casing 4|, see Figures 1 and 2,flxed to the main casing II. It is to be understood that the term coins'i herein is intended to include coins or tokens of any description for which the particular machine is intended.

- The receptacle-carrier is arranged to be intermittently rotated from the main shaft 33 by means of a chain 42 one end of which is attached to the shaft 38. The chain is wrapped around said shaft and is connected at its other end by a shackle 43-to a reciprocating member 44 carrying a pawl which engages a ratchet wheel 43 fixed to the spindle I 9 of the receptacle-carrier. A tension spring 41' connectedat one end to a tail piece on the pawl 43 and at the other end to a projection depending from the table 22 is provided for the return movement of the pawlcarrying member 44 Forward and backward trip devices'are provided for positioning the receptacle-carrier with a tubular receptacle II in register with the opening in the table 22 at.

tent 48 controlled by a spring 49 and for engagement in turn with each of a number of projections 50 spaced apart equi-distantly around the periphery of the base plate |8 of the receptacle-carrier. The detent is pivotally mounted at 5| on a bracket 52 on the table 22 and has a tail which lies in the path of an operating arm 53 therefor which is carried by a sprocket wheel 54 '(hereinafter more specifically referred to) fixed to the main shaft 38. The arm 53 is so projections 58 on the base I8 of the receptaclecarrier which is then free to rotate. At the end of a predetermined movement of the sprocket wheel 54, the arm 53 moves off the tail of the detent 48 which is then caused by the spring 49 to return into the path of theprojections 58. A pin 52a on the bracket 52 is provided to limit the downward movement of the detent 48, see Figure 12. It will be understood that the receptacle-carrier rotates through the distance between two consecutive receptacles at each oper ation of the machine so that the detent 48- engages in turn with consecutive projections 58. The recoil of the receptacle-carrier is stopped by the backward trip device shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. This consists of -a detent 55 which is pivotally mounted at 56 on the support 26 and is arranged so as to drop behind each projection 58 in turn and bring the receptacle-carrier to rest with areceptacle correctly positioned with respect to the opening 23 in the table 22.

It is stated above that the slots 25 in the walls of the tubular receptacles are disposed slightly below the level of the lower edge 24 of the second lowest container in each stack. This en- 's'ures each time a receptacle I1 is brought over the opening 23 in the table .22 that the stack of containers therein will drop slightly until the lower edge of the second lowest container meets the plate 21. Normally the lowest container in the stack will drop through said opening. At each movement of the receptacle-carrier, a receptacle I1 is carried slightly beyond the position in which it registers with the opening 23 to an extent determined by the position of the detent 48. This ensures that, in the event of the lowest container of the stack failing to drop through the opening 23 on to the tray 28, owing to the bottom, or bottom edge, of said container adhering to the lid of the next container above, the edge 24 of the bottom container will engage the wall of the opening 23 in the stationary table 22 and be thereby tilted and torn from the container above.

The mechanism for "operating the elevator is as follows. The sprocket wheel 54, which as stated above is fixed to the main shaft 38, carries a driving chain 51 which passes around a smaller sprocket wheel 58 fixed to an intermediate shaft 59 supported by brackets 68 on the casing of, the machine about midway between the bottom and top ends of the receptacles Also fixed to the shaft 59 is a larger sprocket wheel 6| which engages an elevating chain 52 which passes around upper and lower sprockets 63,

'- to slide vertically on guide bars 68 carried by brackets fixed to the casing. -The elevator receptacle is counterbalanced by means of a weight 69 suspended by a cable 18 which passes over a pulley H and is. attached to the receptacle at 12.

In order to avoid any swinging movement of the weight 69lit is bored and arranged to engage a vertical guide rod 13.. The arrangement is such that the elevator receptacle will be raised and lowered by a forward and backward movement of the operating handle 39 through say 120. If desired a spring or weight return may be provided for the handle.

The sequence of operations of the parts so far described is briefly as follows. A coin (or coins) of the required value is inserted into the coin, slot 48 and the handle 39 is pulled in the direction indicated in Figure 1. Normally there is a container IS in the elevator receptacle 32 and the tray 28 is tilted as shown in Figure 5. The aforesaid movement of the handle 39 causes the elevator receptacle 32 to rise. During this-upward movement ofth receptacle it strikes the projection 36 and opens the flap 34. When the elevator receptacle reaches the'limit of its upward movement the container l6 slides therefrom through the outlet opening in the back wall of the receptacle into the outlet 33. The delivery outlet 333 communicates with a chute M which terminates in a tray l5. A movable damper in the form of a curtain l6is situated in the chute 14 in the path of an article being, delivered to damp the speed of articles travelling down the chute. Th is. damper serves also to obstruct the flow of exterior air upwards along the chute towards the discharge outlet of the casing. As the elevator receptacle ascends the tray 28 returns tothe horizontal position shown in chain lines in Figure 5 and'simultaneously the receptacle-carrier is rotated to bring the next tubular receptacle over the opening in'the table 22 to permit the bottom container in that receptacle to fall on to the tray 28. Return movement of the operating handle 39 .causes the elevator receptacle to descend, the flap In the construction shown on the drawings a time through a slot 88 in a side wall of the auxiliary casing 4| on to a tray 8| by means of a pusher 82 controlled by the operating handle 39. Conveniently a-toothed pinion 83 is provided on the shaft 38 and meshes with a toothed rack 84 on the pusher 82, the arrangement being such that when the handle 39 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, the pusher 82 will be retracted to permit the next spoon to drop in front of the pusher ready to be delivered thereby during the return movement of the operating handle.

Coins inserted into the slot 48 normally run along a downwardly inclined ledge 85 on a coindlverter 85, see Figures 13 and 14, into a coin chute 81 whereby they are directeo to the trip device, which they actuate, for releasing the operating handle 38. The coin-diverter 86 is operated automatically to cause coins inserted into the machine when empty to be returned to the operator by means comprising an actuating member which is maintained inoperative by the presence of spoons in the spoon-receptacle 18 but which, when the last spoon 18 has been delivered, is rendered operative to cause the coindiverter 86 to move to a position such that the coins will be returned to the operator. In the construction shown on the drawings, the aforesaid actuating member is in the form of a weight 88 which rests on the stack of spoons in the receptacle 18.- The weight 88 is operatively connected by a flexible member, for example a light chain 88, to a pivotally mounted arm 98 carrying the coin-diverter 86. As long as there are any spoons in the receptacle 18 the flexible member 89 is slack and the coin-diverter 86 occupies the position shown in fu lines in Figure 13 but immediately the last spoon 18 has been delivered, the weight 88 pulls the flexible member 89 tautand the arm 90 and coin-diverter 86 are caused to swing to the position shown in chain lines in Figure 13. When the coin-diverter is in thelatter position, any coins inserted into the slot will fall on to a chute 8| which leads to a coin tray 92 outside the auxiliary casing 4|.

The invention is not restricted to the specific constructional form shown on the drawings.

Iclaim:

1. A dispensing apparatus for dispensing frozen confections comprising an insulated cabinet having a turntable therein with a circular series of receptacles thereon for holding vertical stacks of wrapped frozen confections, said turntable being rotatable to progressively present the receptacles to a discharge station, said cabinet having a discharge opening in the side wall thereof located well above the bottom of the cabinet and above the bottom of the turntable, an elevator movable from a position below the turntable to a position adjacent the opening, means below the turntable for transferring confections as they are discharged from the receptacles of the turntable to the elevator, and operating mechanism for the turntable and elevator located in the cabinet principally below said discharge opening.

to a position sloping toward the elevator and arranged to receive in its horizontal position a confection from the magazine and in its sloped position to discharge the confection onto the elevator,

transfer table movable from a horizontal position i said transfer table having an extension in the j path of the elevator by means of which the downward movement of the elevator tips the transfer table to the sloping position.

4. In a vending machine for ice cream in which packages stacked one upon another in a magazine are removed for delivery from the bottom of the magazine and are transported by elevating means to a discharge outlet in the upper part of the machine, said elevating means comprising a receptacle having an inlet opening in one side, an outlet opening in the opposite side and a floor which slopes downward from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, a platform biased toward horizontal position and situated. below the magazine. to receive a package which falls from the 1 bottom of the magazine, said platform being arranged to be tilted-by the descending elevator receptacle into alignment with the floor of said receptacle so as to permit the package on the platform to gravitate therefrom into said relivery station, the combination of an elevator receptacle for transporting to the discharge outlet packages which fall from the tubular receptacles, a chain by which said receptacle is carried, means for reciprocating said chain to raise and lower the elevator receptacle, a tiltable tray onto which the bottom package in the stack at the delivery station falls and which'is arranged to be tilted by the elevator receptacle to cause the package to be transferred from the tray to the receptacle, and means for rotating the table to progressively move the tubular receptacle to position to deliver onto the tiltable tray.

SYDNEY JOHN LEWIS BOON. 

